The invention relates to a filter cartridge including a hollow cylindrical filter element that is under axial tractive tension, and is provided with an annular flange at each one of its two ends and with at least one supporting cage arranged coaxial with the filter element.
Filter cartridges, equipped with the most varied filter materials, are used in petrochemical, food processing and pharmaceutical industries in increasing numbers, for filtering liquid and gaseous media.
The prior art cylindrical filter cartridges that are manufactured in large numbers are composed of a filter element equipped with flanges at its ends and with at least one cylindrical supporting cage which subjects the wound or pleated filter medium to tensile stresses. The filter element, its annular flanges and its supporting cage or cages have in the past been fixedly and non-releasably connected with one another during manufacture so that the disposal of spent filter cartridges is expensive. The filter cartridges are typically composed of various materials, for example, the filter medium of cellulose, ceramics or plastic, and the supporting body as well as the flanges of metal. Thus, to dispose of the cartridges according to its various materials, it is absolutely necessary that the different materials be separated. The dismantling of the spent filter cartridges required for this purpose raises not insignificant problems, such as being time consuming and expensive. Thus there is an urgent need for easily disposable filter cartridges.